Method of making vehicle wheels



Dec. 31, 1929. A. L. PUTNAM METHOD OF MAKING VEHICLE WHEELS Filed Jan. 21, 9

' INVENTOR Aide/v ,6. Patna??? ATTORN EY/S' Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE ALDEN L. PUTNAM, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WHITEI-IEAD & KALES COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN METHOD OF MAKING VEHICLE WHEELS Application filed January 21, 1929. Serial No. 333,932.

This invention relates generally to vehicle wheels and refers more particularly to a methodof inaking the same.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to connect a wheel spider to a wheel rim in such a way that the joint between the two will be concealed and will therefore not require the usual finishing operation.

Another object is to manufacture Wheels of the type described by a simplified method that enables the wheel parts to be more easily and quickly assembled than heretofore and that thereby enables such wheels to be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

In the process of construction the wheel body or spider is slightly dished and the rim member or felly is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced slots or apertures of a sufficient dimension to receive the outer ends of the spokes The spider is then pressed by suitable mechanism which will be more fully hereinafter described until the ends of the spider spokes project through the slots in the felly or rim, at which time they are rigidly secured to the latter in any suitable manner, such for example as by welding. The mechanism indicated above is then re: turned to its original position, whereupon the spokes of the spider are under tension.

I In the accompanying drawing,'

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View through the wheel spider and felly showing the dies in inoperative position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the dies in operative position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the completed wheel; 3

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 14: of

' Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of construction.

By referring to Figure 1 it will be noted that I have illustrated fragmentarily a machine 10 having a stationary die 11 and a movable die 12. As shown, the upper and lower faces 13 and 14 respectively of these dies engage the wheel spider 18 and are designed to shape the same to the desired configuration. Preferably the felly or rim member 16 is U-shape in cross section and the periphery 15 of the stationary die 11 is designed to correspond to the shape of and constitute a seat for the base 16 of said felly or rim member. lVhen applied to the die 11 the base 16 of the rim member extends. above the upper face 13 of the die 11 and is provided immediately above said face 13 with a series of circumferentially spaced apertures or slots 17 for receiving the ends of the spokes 19 of the wheel spider 18.

Thus when the dished spider 18 is properly positioned upon the stationary die 11 the outer ends of the spokes 19 will assume a position opposite the slots 17 and in alignment therewith as shown in Figure 1. After the rim member 16 and spider 18 have been properly seated upon the lower die 11, the upper die 10 is lowered upon the hub portion 19' of thespider; and with the cooperation of the lower die 11, causes the spider to be shaped-as illustrated in Figure 2 and, also simultaneously .causesthe ends of the spokes 19 to be projected through the slots 171 The spokes 18 are then securely held within the slots 17 by welding as illustrated at 20 in Figure 4. After the welding operation the die 10 is returned to its original raised inoperative position shown in Figure 1 and the spider 18 in its effort to return to the position illustrated in Figure 1 will produce a tension on the'spokes 19. Thus as the slots 17 that receive the ends of the spider spokes 19 are in the base 16' of the rim member 16, and the weld 20 in the channel portion of the rim member 16 is concealed by the tire receiving rim 30, the joints between these parts'are' concealed and do not require the usual finishing operation.

Referring now to the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5, I have shown a demountable web steel wheel 21 having a single spider 22 and a rim 23 permanently secured to the spider. \Vith this construction the rim 23 is formed at one side with an in-rolled bead 241 arranged to receive the detachable tire retaining ring 25. Prefera- 1 blv the base of this in-rolled head 24 is proas 12. These spokes 27am then permanently secured within the slots 26, preferably by welding operation, and owing to the fact that the retaining ring 25 conceals the joint between the spokes and the rim and that the projecting end portions of the spokes do not contact at any time with the die, it is not necessary to finish the joints between'the spokes and the bead 24.

Thus from the foregoing description it will be apparent that the herein described method affords an economical and eflicient means for assembling a wheel spider with a rim member and that this assembly maybe easily and quickly effected. Moreover a considerable saving and the cost of manufacturing spider having radially extending spokes, in-

cluding the steps of forming slots in the base of the rim member for receiving the spokes of the spider positioning the spider so that the spokes are in alignment. with the slots in the rim member, subjecting the spider to pressure so that the spokes extend into the slots in said rim, weldin the spokes to said rim while said spider is subjected to pressure, and

such wheels has been accomplished due to the elimination of the finishing operations referred to.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. The method of making wheels havinga rim member, and a spider member, including the steps of positioning the spider member with respect to the rim member, pressing portions of the spider member through portions of the rim member, and securing the portions aforesaid of said spider and rim members together.

- 2. The method of making wheels having a rim member, and a spider member provided with spokes, including the steps of forming apertures in the rim member for receiving portions of the spokes, distorting the'spider member and causing portions of said spokes to pass through the apertures inthe rim member, and securing the portions aforesaid of said spokes in the apertures aforesaid of said rim member.

The method of making wheels'having a rim member and-a spider member, including the steps of forming apertures in the rim member for receiving portions of thespider member, positioning the spider member relative to the rim member, subjecting the spider member, to pressure and causing portions thereof to be received in they apertures in the rim member, securing the portions aforesaid of said'spokes in said apertures while said spider is subjected to pressure, and subseq'uently relieving said spider of pressure whereby portions thereof have a tendency to return to normal position and are thereby placed under tension. J

4. The method of making wheels-having a rim member of U-cross section, and a dished spider, including the steps of forming slots in the base of the rim member for receiving portions of the dished spider, positioning the spider with respect to said slots, subjecting said spider to, pressure and causing portions thereof to be received in said slots, and welding the portions aforesaid of said spider to the base of said rim. r

5. The method of making wheels having a rim member of U-cross section, and a dished 

